2024 reread:

Ahoy there mateys! This series should be way more popular.  I think anyone who likes historical fantasy should read it.  Li-lin is a fantastic character and I love her eyeball companion.  It does seem a little crazy that a story about a woman fighting demons would be such a comfort read but the world building and characters are so lovely that I always end up with a smile on my face.  I listened to this one for the first time through my Audible Plus subscription and I really enjoyed Emily Woo Zeller's narration.  I want to revisit the rest of the series too.  Arrr!

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Ahoy there mateys! Another port plundered and what a lovely one this is. This author’s debut novel is a historical fiction fantasy set in Chinatown of San Francisco in 1898. It is expertly written, in my opinion, and full of surprises – including the ending. I also thought the writing was rather lyrical. This novel definitely kept me engaged. It deals with elements of Daoism, kung fu, monsters, magic, love, and Chinese folklore.

The story concerns a young girl named Li-lin who can see the spirits due to her “yin eyes.” Her whole journey is filled with grief, learning, and pure spunk. Watching her grow as a character and face the consequences for her actions is wonderful and, at times, sad.

Besides the main character, my other favorite character was Mr. Yanqiu who has to be read about to be believed. In fact a lot of the descriptions of the “spirit world” are quite something.

I won’t spoil the plot of the novel but I hope a lot more people read it. And the author hints there might be a sequel coming . . .